Saturday, April 10, 2010

Directed by: Michael Patrick King, aka that guy who started it all and refuses to quit it.Starring: Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker aka SJP), Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), The Island of Manhattan (Manhattan), Samantha (Kim Cattrall) and Charlotte (Kristin Davis). And in that order though you may disagree.

Synopsis: Until the most recent trailer (below) all we knew was that they go to the desert because that's what filthy rich gorgeous 40somethings in Manhattan apparently do when they need a little R & R. Plot is beside the point. It's all about the girls, the clothes and the laughs.Brought to you by: the last film's extraordinary box officeRelease date: May 27th

Nathaniel: So, Jose. You and I will probably get flak for picking this one.

Jose: Then bring on the flak!

Nathaniel: But here's the deal: I am an unapologetic fan of the HBO series. It was the ideal series to watch with a groups of friends on a Sunday night. We missed it when it was gone. We even missed groaning about Carrie's columnist tics... how many of her thesis statements were prefaced by "I couldn't help but wonder..." and concluded with "And just like that..."? All of them!

Anyway, we loved the color and the clothes and the puns and the cheeky sex scenes. Speaking generally now, people like to say that that's shallow but is this really any different that people loving action films for great stunt sequences, visual effects, explosions and derring-do. "Derring- do"... I've slipped back in time to the 30s or something. I'm HOPING that this film slips back in time a little too. I worry that the girls might be a little too "settled" what with the happy marriages and children and whatnot. Where's the conflict and the risque fun? Now, I don't mean this in an ageist way at all. Don't all these people continually bitching that the actresses are too old for this realize that they themselves are going to be 40...and then 50... and then 60 before they know it? Do they want their own stories to end at 35?

But I do worry that the first movie painted itself into a corner of domesticity when it was always most fun as a girls-on-the-town comedy. And why are they leaving Manhattan again? Manhattan is the fifth girl. They need her! I'm fraught with anxiety but I'll be there on opening night.

"I can hear the decadence calling!"-Samantha in Sex & the City 2

Jose: I refuse to call this a "guilty pleasure". I unashamedly love everything Sex and thought the first movie was one of the smartest romantic comedies of the decade. I think your travel back in time is appropriate because when I first saw the desert scenes in the trailer I immediately thought Road to Morocco, not "big sequel in an exotic land". I don't really mind them leaving Manhattan so much because I'm sure there's a part in the movie where they realize what fools they were to even leave and will return to the island with hard earned lessons and new found appreciation (I've always wondered who would win in an I ♥ NY battle: Woody Allen or Carrie Bradshaw?)

When it comes to the age issue, it's just plain, old fashioned chauvinist BS; men seem to have a problem with women whether they age or stay young, so I love how Kim Cattrall gets naked and SJP wears the craziest crap out there with no regards for what others will think. SatC2 should work because the themes at the center of the series were timeless and whatever seems shallow for some might be the holy word for others (I know people who believe they can find answers for everything in the show).

Besides even if the movie blows, I would never say no to the opportunity of dressing up on a Friday night and going out for a movie and cocktails with my friends. Isn't this in the end what Sex has always been about?

Nathaniel: That's the not so secret secret to the movie version appeal, surely. Movies that promise a fun group experience are often the movies that open well. I love that the new trailer ends with Charlotte's daughter referencing Aladdin. Carrie amends "yes sweetie, but with cocktails". The series has always known it's a fantasy.

23 comments:

And you, Nathaniel?Am I stupid for believing that SatC had very interesting-funny-memorable conversations? I mean, I think it was brilliant in depicting and analysing different kinds of relationships and every day situations. I saw almost every type of person in that series. I didn't care about the colors and the clothes at all and yet I loved (and still do) it!

I don't know. Perhaps it's because I was around 16 when I started watching it.

The movie? Well, I thought it was OK but maybe unnecessary. I hope the sequel is at least not horrible.

Kudos to you both for defending SATC. I guess I sort of got sucked into the whole series by my sister, and despite the ostensible female bonding themes it was smart enough every now and then to have some real themes that even the straight guy could get. But for some reason the movie sort of lost track of that (somewhere between wanting to pigeonhole Sam and make Miranda into a villain, or whatever the hell that was). I'm a little reticent about the forthcoming one, but your action movie analogy is right on.

I worried for the general sex and the city audience when I was the only person to laugh (in a 500 seat sold out Friday night session) when I was, quite literally, the only person to laugh at Candice Bergen's Diane Arbus joke. If nobody else got that joke then how did they make it through the series? Hmmm.

I'm like Nathaniel and Jose. Can't wait for this one and I'm not apologising. Movies like GI Joe may get bad reviews, but so many times the critics seem to justify it "it's alright because there's some good action sequences", but when it came to Sex and the City they were agog that anybody could find anything to like about it. And that they found anybody who did like it to be some sort of brainless weirdo. It's ridiculous.

looks like it will be fun in the sun if nothing else... and if I can get dragged by my dad to endless action films, I think I can group my friends and go see a little "girl action" and then go out for a decent fiesta night after! ;o)

James T... great point. I guess my thing with Sex & The City is that I think it should be OBVIOUS that it has those strengths (why is it not obvious to people) but the lightness of tone and the things that people claim are shallow are I think what makes people not see those obvious thematic strengths.

I did think the movie was a step down from the series (part of the problem was that it felt like they were trying to do a whole season rather than tell a movie story). But i'm hoping they recalibrate to what the series was great at (friendship/relationship commentary and the aforementioned "shallow" things) but fashion it around a movie-ish plot as opposed to series of plots.

I'm not into these "sex fantasy" things. I'd describe myself as a cynical asexual heteroromantic, meaning I'd want to fall in love and marry, but never have sex with, someone of the opposite gender, I also thoroughly believe my dream will never happen. Whether it's The Hangover, Hot Tub Time Machine or this franchise, I don't want to watch something that confirms my cynicism.

My personal issue(s) with the first film version is that I felt they were trying to appeal to a new audience that the show had suddenly captured, the late-40ish soccer moms with kids in college watching it at 11pm on TBS. (too on the nose?). I use this group as an example because right before the movie came out last year a very good friend, fitting that description, declared "I can't wait!! & I'm going with my daughter (21) & mom (70)". I was befuddled when she said she was in love with the show after watching it nightly on basic cable. The impact the show has unedited is a far cry from the no-swearing, no-nudity, fit for an M rating version. Not that SatC was "about" those things but it was part of the show, the honesty, the reality of life - we swear, we get naked, we sometimes say tasteless things when with our friends.I'm not quite sure if one can truly appreciate the brilliance of the show by watching it in syndication, which is sad. I AM excited for this movie, but also understand that I will enjoy it for far different reasons that many of the people watching... I'm a Charlotte. ;)

Sex and the City was one of the worst movies of the year, but I'm with you guys on the point that action films (and I'd add, many fanboy comic book films) are just as bad, and get less flack because they're aimed at men. However, Charlotte's daughter referencing Aladdin is...racist. Nothing funny there at all.

While the series had its ups and downs (season 5 was my favorite), I enjoyed a lot of it. Which is why I guess I'm a little surprised to see that other fans of the series had such a positive reaction to the first film. I thought it was weak overall and poorly written. Poop jokes? Really?

Par3182: I agree. In fact, I kind of hate the impact Carrie Bradshaw has had on the image of "Manhattan" - thousands of female tourists traipse into Manhattan (and this is also true for Gossip Girl) caring not a whit about Manhattan's neighborhoods, culture, history, etc., but about cocktails, candy, couture, riding drunk in a limo - glamorous fantasies that cater to money and what every other indistinguishably commercialized city has to offer. There's nothing special about Carrie' Manhattan at all.

Caroline -- i agree that this is a problem but i don't think you can really blame Sex & the City. The whole world has been moving away from appreciating culture for a long time now. How many people know the names of every cast member of every season of reality tv shows now and can't tell you anything about the history of their own cities or about famous playwrights or authors or whatnot?

Par3182: I think you're being a bit unfair.Fashion nowadays is an art as essential as painting and sculpture (or do you think the Met should get rid of the Costume Institute?)Also Carrie Bradshaw deals with many of the issues Woody Allen deals with in most of his movies.Sexual problems, vapid relationships, existential crises etc. the difference is that he does it while talking jazz and European cinema while Carrie talked purses and contemporary culture...I believe the magic of New York City is that it has something for everyone, whether it's "arts and culture or cocktails and shoes" and Carrie's love for the city is awe inspiring.You don't need to be a fan of Bergman and Sartre to love NYC right?

Loved the series, have the box set of the entire show on DVD, loved the first film and saw it in theaters three times, and can't wait for the sequel. Yes, I'm a huge "Sex and the City" fan and I'm damn well not apologizing for it.

Am i the only person who has seen the film and disgusted that charlottes baby sobbed her little heart out in at least 2 scenes. My daughter only crys like that when she is really upset or hurt. what did these people do to make the baby cry so much and should this be acceptable in this day and age. As for the film there were a few funny moments most of it was needless (the begining part) and could have cut the running time in half. Clothes were just trying to hard to be carrie alot of them we thought were funny gone are her days as a fashion icon!!!